This invention relates generally to the field of garment packaging, and more particularly to an improved crush resistant device adapted to surround and reinforce the shoulder and sleeve portion of a garment suspended upon a hanger, the hanger being supported within a packing crate or container for shipment from a place of manufacture to a customer.
In recent years, the amount of clothing sold in the United States of foreign manufacture has escalated dramatically. Such garments are normally transported by land and sea using large containers which are loaded with as many garments as possible, in order to maintain shipping costs as low as practicable. Before loading, the garments are carefully pressed. However, when the garments are loaded in the shipping container, compressive forces transmitted by adjacent garments, particularly in the area of the supporting hangers, often result in the wrinkling of the shoulder and sleeve areas, so that after unloading, the garment must be at least partially repressed before further distribution, requiring additional relatively high cost labor to restore the garment to presentable condition.